INGREDIENTS
Spaghetti (or any pasta of your preference)
All-purpose Cream
Full cream milk
Salt
Pepper
Quickmelt Cheese
Bacon
Garlic
Onion
Butter

PROCEDURE
1. Saute garlic and onions in butter.
2. Once the onion is translucent, add the bacon and a little bit of pasta water.
3. Simmer for a minute, once done add the all-purpose cream.
4. Add about 1/2 cup of shredded quickmelt cheese and simmer for about 2 minutes.
5. Depending on the consistency, add a little milk to even out the thickness.
6. Toss the pasta and season with salt and pepper.

NOTES

How is everyone doing? I'm trying to just keep my head in the air and take care of my mental health while we all go through this lockdown. To be honest I haven't been in my productive mode for the entire week because I just can't imagine having so much output given everything that's happening outside. I usually spend my day watching the news, trying to look for ways to source our supplies at home without having to go out, and just basically maintaining the household with my siblings. Even before the lockdown happened, my siblings and I have already decided we won't be going home to the province so we won't have to risk our parents.

Anyway, I've been trying to maintain our tiny household given the limited amount of groceries we have at home. We were able to stock up on some items but we all are clueless how long this lockdown is going to last and our supply is slowly depleting. I have to be creative with the dishes I cook to make sure I maintain balance between our stocks and making sure everyone's fed lol. Is this how it feels to be a mom?? Kidding. But I just thought I'd share some of the recipes I've been trying to maximize the things we have at hone. Let's begin!

INGREDIENTS
Pasta (any pasta of your choice)

Ligo Spicy Sardines (you can also do a non-spicy variant)

Garlic

Onions

Butter

Basil Leaves

Oregano

Salt

Pepper

Cherry/Regular Tomatoes

PROCEDURE

1. In a pan, melt butter and saute garlic and onion. 

2. Once the onion is translucent, add the sauce of the sardines first then saute some more. 

3. Add the sardines and crush into small pieces. 

4. Add cherry tomatoes and saute for about a minute. 

4. Right before turning the stove off, add the basil leaves and squeeze half a lemon. 

5. Toss the pasta and mix thoroughly!

NOTES

See, very easy! If you don't have basil at home you can skip it. It'll still taste as awesome. You can also play with spices--personally I used Oergano but you can also try Thyme, Rosemary, Dried basil etc. Also if you don't like the dish to be spicy, you can opt for the green can of Ligo which is the non-spicy variant. For me, I usually still top mine with chili flakes! And btw this is also best served with boiled egg on top. 

Let me know if you try this recipe! It's been roughly a week since the lockdown started and I still have a ton of recipes to share that you can still try at home. If you're bored, try your hand at cooking! This is the perfect time to experiment and learn a new skill. Wherever you are, I hope you're safe and sound. Remember to always stay home unless you really have to go out. Stay safe, everyone!

Hey, everyone how have you been doing? I'm writing this a day from the official Metro Manila lock down which is supposed to last for a month. I'm not sure if posting blogs or uploading vlogs would be appropriate at the moment but this is something you can do while confined at home so I thought why not try and share? I know the lockdown has been confusing to some as it has been for me so I'm really just taking this home confinement seriously and have just been staying at home trying to be productive while being safe. 

This post idea came about the other day as I was craving for Ate Rica's Bacsilog and while browsing Grabfood thought, why not just make it at home? I didn't want to risk the delivery guys and I would rather be busy at home so it's pretty much a win-win situation. Which brings me to also sharing that cooking is one of the things you can try and experiment with while being confined at home! If it's something you've been wanting to try, couldn't think of a better time. So, let's get cooking!

As you can see, I don't have any measurements because I pretty much just eyeballed everything. What's important is say for the butter or the cheese, start with a small amount first then just build it up as you go along. The key is achieving the cheese sauce consistency that's right for you. For my version, I prefer it to be a little thicker than the original because I like my cheese a little creamier hehe but again everything's up to you!

That's it, that's the recipe! I think if you're starting with cooking the tricky part would have to be eyeballing everything but just remember, always start with small amounts then just build it up as you go along. It's easier to remedy a recipe by adding more. You can also experiment with other silog's on their menu--I'm thinking of doing hotsilog or longsilog next time. Let me know if you try out the recipe and if you like it. Happy cooking and stay safe, folks!

I'm a huge fan of eating healthy. I may eat a ton of junk food every now and then, but I personally think that's normal. Eating healthy is a lifestyle and not just a temporary fix you do to detox or to lose weight so momentary cheat meals are not totally bad. However, we all know eating healthy can be pretty expensive which is why I prefer doing it at home and also buying my fresh produce from the local market vs grocery stores. I also try to bring my own food in the office so I can assure that I'm eating healthy wherever I go. 

However when I'm out, I find it difficult to supply myself with healthy food what with all the fast food around offering cheap and quite tasty meals for a fraction of the price. Once in a while I try to indulge even if I know it'll probably leave a huge dent in my pocket. So for this instance, that's what I did. Try Wholesome Table at last lol. 

THE PLACE

The Wholesome Table is an organic restaurant that aims to help you change the way you eat – one plate at a time. We believe in going back to basics in preparing the kind of comfort food that you’re used to eating, except we make them with healthier ingredients, always with love and good intentions.

Restaurateur Bianca Araneta-Elizalde and husband Juan Elizalde share a wholesome experience with its diners in the hopes of inspiring them to follow a healthier lifestyle. With food made only from fresh, natural and organic ingredients, The Wholesome Table inspires a change in the way people live, with every plate they have. (via)

The branch that I tried was the one in BGC. The place is really spacious and showcases a classic, rustic interior. Reservations are also encouraged since the place can get quite crowded especially at lunch time.

THE FOOD

So before this, we already had some of their food delivered at the hotel we were staying in. One of our friends from the UK has a strict gluten-free diet and they're one of the few restaurants that widely caters his diet. The food was good, even in takeout containers! During our dine in experience, that's the only time I had a chance to check the prices and I was surprised--it wasn't cheap.

We pretty much ordered the same thing we had delivered. We ordered Poke Bowl (P450), Be Bold Supergreen Juice (P320), Iced Latte (P120) and Gyudon Rice Bowl (P470). So you can tell it's not on the affordable scale but we decide to go for it anyway. I guess if we're talking about clean eating, it's a good way to go. The meals tasted good and they're huge advocates of farm to table dining. They also have meals tagged as Wholehearted which essentially means a portion of your payment goes to underprivileged kids. 

Buuuuut at the end of the day, the prices are still insane. I mean yes we all know how expensive clean eating can get but even with farm to table dining, how much are the farmers really getting out of this? I mean, I don't mean to sound political but all this organic, wholesome shit they reason out so they can make healthy eating accessible but at this price? It just baffles me hehe. 

THE WHOLESOME TABLE

Budget : P1300 for 2 people

Open daily : 11:000 AM - 11:00 PM

C3, Bonifacio High Street Central, 7th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

I've been reading about Mandaluyong's thriving food scene and it had had me going all over the area just to scour for my next food adventure. I've always been quite bored, having lived here for roughly 6 years--but I realized that was only because I was lazy. Every now and then a new place pops up and I just never had the energy to check them out. But totally changing that this year and I can say the first 2 mos have been pretty successful. 

I was about to say this is literally a hole-in-the-wall type of place when I realized it's not within walls because it's literally just out there. The place is situated in a vacant parking spot, quite literally in front of actual stalls. The place can get a bit rodwy, chaotic and noisy since it's just beside a bus stop over. While eating, all i can hear were buses honking at each other. It was stressful tbh but I kept thinking it was part of the experience lol. 

The place is clean even if it's beside the road and they cook your food as you order. They also have a very organized ordering and payment system probably devised because from what I've read, people flock the place at night. I dined at around 4PM and I was the only customer so yay bec I hate people lol. 

For the food I ordered Ramyeun (P120.00), Mandu (P100.00), Odeng (P40.00/stick) and Demisoda (P40.00). I think it complete the whole K-drama street food entourage. I don't know how to explain the authenticity of the food because everything can be bought in a convenience store--literally. Not to shit on the place or anything but, you can really make all these at home. Shin Ramyun is available not just in Korean marts but in practically any mall in the PH, same goes for the Mandu which is also widely available now. The fishcake's broth is a bit tricky to make but still, available in K Marts so I don't know what one means when they stay authentic?

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the overall experience! The food is good and the Demisoda was quite a discovery. I don't like soda but that carbonated drink made me want more. Most of their dishes also come with free kimchi or free soup. For the Ramen, you can also choose the spice level. 

Would I go back? Probably not. While I enjoyed the dining experience one time, I'd rather have all these at the comfort of my own home. I don't have to deal with all the noise brought about by the rowdy buses and all the stares I get from people walking past me. Plus as mentioned, I can make all these at home for a cheaper price so verdict is--I'm staying in. 

K-BAP KOREAN STREETFOOD

Budget : P200 for 2 people

Open daily : 2:00 PM - 11:00 PM

EDSA Shaw (beside Jepoy's Bar and Grill, right before Jollibee)